Credit cards are currently a common financial tool. Yet, credit card fraud is a considerable concern for credit card companies. The problem occurs when an unscrupulous individual obtains a copy of a person""s credit card information, and then uses that information to fraudulently charge purchases to the person""s card until the theft is noticed and further use of the card is blocked. In addition to being a considerable problem for the card companies themselves, this illegal practice causes inconvenience and annoyance for the innocent user whose card has somehow been compromised.
Such fraud is a potential problem in various contexts, but recently has become of significant concern in Internet transactions in particular. Transmission of credit card information over the Internet has long been suspect due to the risk of individuals monitoring traffic over the network and then using that information for their personal gain. While secure networks and connections have been increasingly available over the past several years, many are nonetheless unwilling to transmit any credit card information over the Internet, due to the possibility that valuable credit card information could be intercepted.
In addition, monitoring, control and regulation of expenditures and finances is a frequent concern of companies and individuals. It is always desirable to provide apparatus and methods which improve the apparatus and methods for such monitoring, control and regulation. Accordingly, there are numerous improvements which have been heretofore unknown in the art, which improve the effectiveness, value, and/or the efficiency of credit cards, either in general or certain types of financial transactions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide improved credit cards and methods for credit card transactions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for customized use credit cards.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for user-defined credit cards for use in financial transactions.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for disposable credit cards.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide for limited use credit cards.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for secure transmission of credit card information.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for minimizing credit card fraud, and the amounts of loss that could occur should card information be intercepted.
It is also an object of the invention to provide methods and apparatus for transmission of credit card information over the Internet with a minimal risk of possible fraud or loss.
In addition to the prevention and reduction of fraud, it is a further object of the invention to provide improved types of credit cards, and improved methods for credit card transactions.
In accordance with the invention, a variety of new forms of credit cards and credit card methods are disclosed herein. In some of the disclosed embodiments, the cards and methods provide improved credit cards and methods providing for customization, limited use, single use (disposability), or so forth. Additionally or alternatively, in some of the disclosed embodiments, the cards and methods include new forms of credit cards designed to reduce or prevent fraud. In addition to, or as an alternative to the prevention of fraud, in some of the embodiments disclosed herein, new credit cards and associated methods are provided for the improvement of credit card transactions and/or for availability of an expanded array of financial products to consumers.